An Addition to The Rogers Family
by PhoebeSnow
Summary: This little baby was their miracle, the child they never expected to have, but the child they always wanted. And now, finally, he was here.


**A/N: This fic was originally posted on AO3 from a prompt request by WinterXAssassin.**

* * *

Natasha lie in bed, trying to get some sleep, but unfortunately, with James kicking, this night was going to be another restless one. She sighed and looked over at her husband, who was sound asleep, hand covering her round belly almost possessively in his sleep. He wasn't even conscious, yet he was so tender, so gentle.

Her emotions started getting the best of her and Natasha sniffled, wiping her tears away with her hand. She looked back down at her belly. The little boy had been growing inside of her for nine months. Natasha was expected to go into labor sometime later in the week.

Even though she was used to pain, she was completely clueless about giving birth to a baby. She had read books and watched commentaries on childbirth, but nothing could really give her a solid look into such a thing than personal experience.

To be honest, she was a little terrified. Thanks goodness for Steve, though. He was her pillar of strength the whole time. He actively got involved with her Lamaze class and even became friends with the teacher, read baby books to James, sang and played guitar to the baby, he gave Natasha the most amazing foot rubs, made her dinner several times when she wasn't feeling up to it, etc.

Basically, Steve was already proving himself to be a super dad and a super husband and constantly wowing her in the process. There was no doubt in Natasha's mind that he would be an excellent father.

"Nat?"

Natasha snapped out of her musings and she looked into the eyes of her now-awake husband. "Oh...I didn't wake you, did I?"

"No." He rubbed his forehead and sat up. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I just can't sleep. James is playing soccer down there." She gave him a smile and ran her hand over her belly.

"I'm sorry." Steve leaned down, moving his face next to Natasha's stomach. "Hey, James. You know it's not nice to keep your mommy awake. I know you're excited because you're going to be born, and you just can't wait to see us, but that's no excuse to kick mommy's tummy."

Natasha couldn't help giggling as Steve nuzzled her stomach with his nose. "Can you be on your best behaviour for us? Be a good little boy like I know you can be. You're still in there, while we're out here and we know you're eager to come see the real world, but you have to be patient, okay?"

The kicking almost immediately ceased after he spoke and Natasha shook her head and plopped down on her pillow. "Steve, I _swear_ , I'm just going to call you the baby whisperer from now on. When _I_ tell him stop kicking me, he _never_ stops."

Steve just laughed. "Well, you have to talk to him in a soothing voice or he'll just ignore you."

"I do talk to him in a soothing voice, but you're the only one he'll listen to." She couldn't help the pout that formed on her face.

"Well, maybe he obliges me because he likes it when I play guitar and sing for him." He gave her an innocent look.

"Ha. I think you two are conspiring against me."

It was quite obvious that Steve was trying to keep a serious facial expression, but that all-too familiar shit eating grin couldn't stay hidden. "Come on, babe. You know I'd never conspire against you. That'd just bring me a lot of trouble." He tugged her sleepshirt up so he could place little kisses on the skin.

The sharp rebuttal on Natasha's lips was soon forgotten. She mewled softly and ran her hands through his blond locks, pulling him closer to her body. Steve always did have a magic touch when it came to her. That mouth of his never ceased to tantalise her.

"That...feels so good," she moaned, enjoying his ministrations.

Steve heard the pleasure in his wife's voice and decided to lap at her skin in addition to kissing her belly. He was so caught up in kissing and caressing her that he hadn't realised her moans had turned into gasps.

Natasha nudged her husband with her hip. "Steve, stop. Stop, I'm wet."

He smirked. "Well, that is the general idea, babe."

"No. I mean, I'm _wet_."

"...you mean, you're-?"

She nodded. "My water just broke."

Steve glanced down and saw the dark spot on his wife's leggings. His eyeballs bulged. "But Doctor Cho said you weren't due for another couple of days, maybe even a week! How could your water break now?"

"She also said he could come early." Natasha closed her eyes for a moment, then opened them. "Help me up. I need to get dressed."

Beads of sweat started to form on Steve's head. His mind was running a thousand miles a minute. "Get dressed in what? How are you going to get dressed- _what_ are you going to get dressed in that couldn't get wet?"

Natasha glared at her husband. Why was he acting so ridiculous? Normally, he was the one who was calm and collected. Now, he was behaving like a frightened man who had no idea what is going on. "Steve, we both knew that this week was a possibility. You and I need to get dressed, so we can get to the hospital. I am **not** giving birth to this baby in our bed."

Those words motivated Steve into action and he said, "Right!" Then shot off the bed and went on her side to help her up.

* * *

A few hours later, they were in a hospital room with their doctor Helen Cho and a nurse helping with the delivery. "God, I just want this baby out of me!" Natasha yelled and lifted her head up, twisting from side to side.

Doctor Cho wiped a few strands of hair from Natasha's sweaty face. "Natasha, I told your husband that I can give you a local anaesthetic. Do you want me to administer it to you?"

"Of course I do! Why would you even have to ask me that?!"

Steve looked down at his wife whose eyes were wide open and her hair flown every which way. She looked positively wild. He began to feel a mild panic rise up in him. Why did he have to touch her? She never would be going through such pain if he had just kept his hands off of her. Now she was in unbearable pain and he couldn't do anything about it.

"Doctor, please hurry. She's in so much pain. The contractions must be getting worse. Are you sure she shouldn't start pushing yet?"

Doctor Cho began filling a syringe with medication. "Not just yet. Once I give her the medication, and she feels its effects, she can start pushing." She noticed the concern etched on his face. "Don't worry, Steve. This is completely normal."

Natasha yelled again and grunted in pain.

Steve began to sweat himself, just from watching her. He knelt down to his wife's level. "Nat, I am _so_ sorry. This is all my fault. If I had just kept my hands to myself, you wouldn't be in pain like this."

Doctor Cho stared down at him like he had grown a third eye. Was he _really_ that upset over his wife's labor pains? She moved forward and administered the medication.

"Baby, I am so sorry I did this to you-"

Natasha growled and raised her hand, thwacking him on the chest. "You idiot! Stop saying you're sorry for getting me pregnant! This is one of the best things that's ever happened to me!" She grunted in pain again before glaring at her husband to continue speaking.

"You should never be sorry for something like this. We've wanted a child for seven years and now, he's finally ready to come to the world and join our family! So you...just shut the _hell_ up and hold my hand, dammit!"

Steve frowned for a moment at the determination on his wife's face. She was downright scary to him, but she was right. Panicking would only exacerbate the situation. Meekly, he took her hand in his and squeezed it. "I'm sorry. I'm just...really out of my depth, here. I don't like seeing you in pain."

She scoffed and gave him a wry grin. "Yeah, you and me, both."

Doctor Cho had to stifle a chuckle as she watched the couple in front of her. She had certainly never expected this to happen to a couple. Normally, women who were in this phase of labor could barely talk, let alone yell and smack their husbands in the stomach. It must have had something to do with the Soviet version of the super soldier serum that was in Natasha's body. There was no denying this birth would be a very interesting one.

Helen touched Natasha's arm kindly. "I've just given you a local anaesthetic so you should start feeling the effects soon."

Before Natasha could respond, the nurse squealed in surprise. "Doctor, the baby is already crowning!"

Steve, Natasha and Doctor Cho looked over at the nurse in disbelief.

"But I just gave her an anaesthetic!" Helen went to the end of the bed to look into Natasha's medical gown and sure, enough, the baby was indeed, crowning. She stared in shock for a few seconds, but shook it off and sent Natasha and Steve a smile. "Alright, Natasha. Your baby is already coming. I can see his head now, so go ahead and start pushing."

And push, Natasha did. In fact, Helen estimated it had probably been maybe six or seven minutes that passed before she helped bring the baby out of the birth canal and into the open air. The sound of James' whimper filled the air and Helen felt herself smiling.

She clipped the umbilical cord and the nurse gave her a towel to wipe the baby off. Once little James' bottom was gently smacked and nestled in a warm blanket, Helen turned to the couple. "Here's your baby." She handed James to Natasha, who gazed at her son as if he were the most precious thing in the world.

James continued to cry softly, but Natasha cooed at him and held him in her arms lovingly. "Hi, James. I'm your mommy. I've been waiting for you for a long time."

Tears had begun to spill down the sides of both Steve and Natasha's cheeks as Natasha held their firstborn. James' head slightly turned towards Steve and his whimpers grew less quiet as he blinked several times.

"This is your daddy," said Natasha in a whisper, smiling at both her husband and the baby.

Steve touched James' forehead and kissed him softly. "Hey, little guy. It's nice to see you out and about." He scooted onto the bed and held his forehead against Natasha's. For a while, they just gazed at him, unable to look away. This little baby was their miracle, the child they never expected to have, but the child they always wanted. And now, _finally_ , he was here.

Natasha handed James to her husband, knowing by the look on his face that he wanted to hold him. She kept her hand on his shoulder as Steve rocked their son back and forth. "He's beautiful, isn't he?"

Steve looked down at her and a few more tears ran down his face. "Yes. He's perfect. Thank you so much, Nat. Thank you for making me a father." He bent down and kissed her tenderly.

Natasha returned the kiss and she couldn't help a happy laugh escape from her lips. "And thank you for loving me, Steve. Without your love, I never would have become a wife and now...a mother."

Both husband and wife nuzzled up to each other and looked back down at their little baby. James blinked at them and part of the blanket opened enough for him to hold out his hand and touch Steve's chin. Then he touched Natasha's chin.

"I think he knows who we are," Natasha said to Steve, her hand reaching over to pat James' tiny knuckle.

"I think so, too." Steve grinned. "He _is_ our son, after all."

Yes, he was. _Their son._

Natasha looked at her husband, then her son and mused on her life and she came to this point. KGB assassin, SHIELD spy, Avenger, comrade, partner, lover, wife and now, mother. Every stage in her life had brought her to this point and each day got better than the last.

From her first moment of training in the Red Room, she had been alone with no one to care about her, but now, she had a family. The second Natasha looked into the eyes of her precious newborn, she felt a rush of love run through her. Even more so as she watched Steve rock little James in his arms.

Life had only just begun.

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 **This story was certainly a refreshing change of pace for me to write. I am a firm believer in childbirth - even though I have yet to experience it, myself -as being one of the most beautiful things that can happen to a woman. Bringing a new life into the world is such a wonderful privilege and one day, I hope I will have my chance to know what it feels like, too.**


End file.
